Caring for Elderly Smiles

Oral health is important for your entire family, including your parents and grandparents. Elderly patients have many options when it comes to oral health care. Dentures are often used, but if you are unsure if they are for you, this blog can help.

Regular Check-Ups Are Key
Dentures are sometimes used far beyond their regular life span. Most elderly patients will not seek regular treatment with their dentist, which can result in infection. This can also create irritation of the dentures and rub the gum tissue.

Choose Healthy Foods
The fit of dentures is important because they can deteriorate over time, elderly patients will often eat foods that don’t meet their bodily needs, such as foods that are low in proteins or high in carbohydrates, sugar and fat.

Be Proactive About Your Health
Some issues are related to aging in itself, but others are related primarily to the personal attitudes toward aging. Many older people will be more passive to the effects of aging on their physical appearance and function. Elderly are also likely to believe that many situations like illnesses, and pain are going to be unavoidable, which can make them suffer through unnecessary pain. Consequently, they are not always taking steps to prevent disease. We find that financial restrictions can be a leading reason for their decline in dental visits. But there is FREE care, that many can take advantage of.

Educate Yourself
There is a correlation between dental disease and aging. Dental educators and researchers are now attempting to share preventative approaches to the oral problems of aging people. Problems such as missing teeth, loose fitting dentures, soft tissue disease, and even bone deterioration are common. The consequences of not taking care of your teeth and poor oral health in the elderly can lead to inadequate diet, which results in malnutrition, infection, pain, and impaired social functioning.

We provide preventive care to elderly patients. We find it is difficult to motivate them to seek out dental care. But the benefits are plenty.

No matter what age caring for your teeth is important. Visit your Gresham cosmetic dentist, Gresham Smile Designs, today for an appointment.